Periodontal Disease Treatment in Austin

Let’s explore what periodontal disease is, how it affects both your oral and overall health, and the best ways to manage it.

Did you know the early signs of gum disease can often go unnoticed?

Here are some common signs to watch for:

Periodontal Disease is often manageable if treated early and regularly

During your dental check-up, your dental clinician will evaluate your oral health using dental x-rays, gum measurements, and clinical findings. Based on their findings, you will be provided with a personalized treatment plan to get your oral health back on track.

In some cases, the entire mouth is not affected. We may recommend localized treatment and/or generalized treatment. It is best to have a full evaluation and explanation to understand your conditions and options.

So, what is gum disease?

You might be surprised to learn the mouth has a normal, diverse population of bacteria, 98% of which are either harmless or even beneficial to our health. However, when detrimental types of bacteria begin to outnumber the beneficial ones within the pockets that form between the gum and the tooth, problems start to arise.

These gum pockets are the perfect environment for destructive bacteria to thrive. Once this bacteria invades your gums, your body begins its attempt to fight off and get rid of the damaging bacteria. At this point you’ll notice your gums feeling red, tender, and swollen, and may even bleed with brushing and flossing. This is the earliest stage of periodontal disease known as gingivitis.

Gingivitis is not always painful. The only signs may be bleeding gums, bad breath that won’t go away, or more food getting trapped in the growing gaps between your teeth. It’s important not to ignore these early signs of gum disease because the good news is: gingivitis is completely reversible with a good dental cleaning and daily flossing and brushing!

However, if the harmful bacteria are not removed over time, they will attack the bone that supports your teeth. This can lead to receding gums, the loss of bone, and eventual tooth loss. This progressive disease is called periodontitis, and is responsible for 75% of adult tooth loss.

A nonsurgical periodontal therapy may be all you need.

Nonsurgical periodontal therapy removes plaque and tartar from below the gumline. If areas of active disease haven’t resolved with initial therapy, we may recommend seeing a periodontist–a gum and bone specialist– to evaluate for more advanced treatment to help prevent eventual tooth loss and infection.

Diagnose & Treatment Plan
Numb the effected areas with either topical numbing gel or local anesthesia
Remove bacteria with nonsurgical periodontal therapy
Re evaluate and refer to specialist if needed
Maintain with excellent home care (brush at least twice daily for 2 minutes and floss once daily) and visit your dental hygienist every 3 months for professional cleanings

Did you know?

Gum disease is connected to your overall health

we are discovering that periodontal disease affects more than just your teeth and gums. When gums are chronically swollen and bleeding, the pathogenic bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body. These virulent bacteria can cause inflammation and damage in many other organs and play a role in diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. Therefore, maintaining healthy gums is critical for overall health.